Systems and methods for cloud-based commissioning of well devices

ABSTRACT

A method may include receiving, via at least one processor of a cloud-computing system, an indication that a portion of a workflow is complete. Here, the workflow is associated with commissioning one or more well devices at a hydrocarbon site. The method may then include identifying one or more subsequent portions of the workflow to be performed and sending the one or more subsequent portions to one or more computing devices associated with one or more users assigned to the one or more well devices.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/312,476, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORCLOUD-BASED COMMISSIONING OF WELL DEVICES,” filed Jun. 23, 2014, whichis herein incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to improving operations of acontrol system that monitors and controls the operation of a well deviceat a hydrocarbon well site. More specifically, the present disclosurerelates to providing cloud-based configuration, analysis, andcommissioning services to assist in the operation of a well device at ahydrocarbon well site, control the flow of hydrocarbons from thehydrocarbon well site, and optimize the production of hydrocarbons atthe hydrocarbon well site.

As hydrocarbons are extracted from hydrocarbon reservoirs viahydrocarbon wells in oil and/or gas fields, the extracted hydrocarbonsmay be transported to various types of equipment, tanks, and the likevia a network of pipelines. For example, the hydrocarbons may beextracted from the reservoirs via the hydrocarbon wells and may then betransported, via the network of pipelines, from the wells to variousprocessing stations that may perform various phases of hydrocarbonprocessing to make the produced hydrocarbons available for use ortransport.

Information related to the extracted hydrocarbons or related to theequipment extracting, transporting, storing, or processing the extractedhydrocarbons may be gathered at the well site or at various locationsalong the network of pipelines. This information or data may be used toensure that the well site or pipelines are operating safely and that theextracted hydrocarbons have certain desired qualities (e.g., flow rate,temperature). The data related to the extracted hydrocarbons may beacquired using monitoring devices that may include sensors that acquirethe data and transmitters that transmit the data to computing devices,routers, other monitoring devices, and the like, such that well sitepersonnel and/or off-site personnel may view and analyze the data.

In addition to monitoring the properties of the well device and thehydrocarbon well site, the monitoring devices, such as remote terminalunits (RTUs), control the operations of a well device used forextracting hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon well site. Generally, theRTUs store and execute control programs to effect decision-making inconnection with a process for controlling the operation of the welldevice.

However, given the remote locations in which hydrocarbon well sites arelocated, operators of the monitoring systems or the RTUs may not haveaccess to technical or operational support to assist with theconfiguration, commission, operation, or maintenance of an RTU, a welldevice, or any component that may be part of the hydrocarbon well site.Accordingly, it is now recognized that improved systems and methods forconfiguring, commissioning, maintaining, and managing various devices ata hydrocarbon well site are desirable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

In one embodiment, a method may include receiving, via at least oneprocessor of a cloud-computing system, an indication that a portion of aworkflow is complete. Here, the workflow is associated withcommissioning one or more well devices at a hydrocarbon site. The methodmay then include identifying one or more subsequent portions of theworkflow to be performed and sending the one or more subsequent portionsto one or more computing devices associated with one or more usersassigned to the one or more well devices.

In another embodiment, a system may include a cloud-computing system anda display that communicatively couples to at least one processor. The atleast one processor may receive a request, via an input to the at leastone processor, to commission an operation of a well device that controla flow of hydrocarbons extracted from a hydrocarbon well. The processormay then send identification information associated with the well deviceto the cloud-computing system upon receiving the request. After sendingthe identification information, the processor may receive one or moreinstructions associated with commissioning the operation of the welldevice from the cloud-computing system. The processor may then depictthe instructions on the display.

In yet another embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable medium mayinclude computer-executable instructions that cause a computing deviceto receive an indication that a portion of a workflow is complete, suchthat the workflow is associated with commissioning one or more welldevices at a hydrocarbon site. The computing device may then identifyone or more subsequent portions of the workflow to be performed and sendthe one or more subsequent portions to one or more computing devicesassociated with one or more users assigned to the one or more welldevices.

DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood when the following detaileddescription is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in whichlike characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a high-level overview of anindustrial enterprise that leverages a cloud-based computing system, inaccordance with embodiments presented herein;

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of an example hydrocarbon sitethat may produce and process hydrocarbons, in accordance withembodiments presented herein;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example overview of a cloud-based communicationarchitecture for the example hydrocarbon site of FIG. 2, in accordancewith embodiments presented herein;

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of a remote terminal unit (RTU) thatmay be employed in the cloud-based communication architecture of FIG. 3,in accordance with embodiments presented herein;

FIG. 5 illustrates a communication network that may be employed in thehydrocarbon site of FIG. 2, in accordance with embodiments presentedherein;

FIG. 6 illustrates a flow chart of a method for automaticallyconfiguring a remote terminal unit (RTU) in the hydrocarbon site of FIG.2, in accordance with embodiments presented herein;

FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart of a method for automatically connectinga remote terminal unit (RTU) to a cloud-based computing system in thehydrocarbon site of FIG. 2, in accordance with embodiments presentedherein;

FIG. 8 illustrates a flow chart of a method for sending configurationdata to an asset recently added to the cloud-based communicationarchitecture of FIG. 3, in accordance with embodiments presented herein;

FIG. 9 illustrates a flow chart of a method for a cloud-based computingsystem to update a profile of a recently modified asset in thecloud-based communication architecture of FIG. 3, in accordance withembodiments presented herein;

FIG. 10 illustrates a flow chart of a method for analyzing data acquiredby a remote terminal unit (RTU) in the cloud-based communicationarchitecture of FIG. 3, in accordance with embodiments presented herein;

FIG. 11 illustrates a flow chart of a method for adjusting operations ofa well device based on data analysis performed by a cloud-basedcomputing system, in accordance with embodiments presented herein;

FIG. 12 illustrates a flow chart of a method for performing varioustypes of analysis on data acquired by a remote terminal unit (RTU) inthe hydrocarbon site of FIG. 2 using a cloud-based computing system, inaccordance with embodiments presented herein;

FIG. 13 illustrates a flow chart of a method for simulating productionof hydrocarbons at the hydrocarbon site of FIG. 2 using a cloud-basedcomputing system, in accordance with embodiments presented herein;

FIG. 14 illustrates a flow chart of a method for acquiring informationregarding commissioning of a well device or a system of well devices atthe hydrocarbon site of FIG. 2 using a cloud-based computing system, inaccordance with embodiments presented herein;

FIG. 15 illustrates a flow chart of a method for creating a workflow fora user at the hydrocarbon site of FIG. 2 using a cloud-based computingsystem, in accordance with embodiments presented herein;

FIG. 16 illustrates a flow chart of a method for distributing a workflowto users at the hydrocarbon site of FIG. 2 using a cloud-based computingsystem, in accordance with embodiments presented herein; and

FIG. 17 illustrates a flow chart of a method for identifying a user toperform a workflow at the hydrocarbon site of FIG. 2 using a cloud-basedcomputing system, in accordance with embodiments presented herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more specific embodiments will be described below. In an effortto provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all featuresof an actual implementation are described in the specification. Itshould be appreciated that in the development of any such actualimplementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerousimplementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve thedevelopers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related andbusiness-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation toanother. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a developmenteffort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be aroutine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those ofordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the presentinvention, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended tomean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,”“including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean thatthere may be additional elements other than the listed elements.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are generally directed towardsimproved systems and methods for providing improved systems and methodsfor configuring, commissioning, operating, maintaining, and managingwell devices at a hydrocarbon well site. Moreover, embodiments of thepresent disclosure are related to leveraging a cloud-based computingnetwork to perform various operations at a hydrocarbon well site moreefficiently.

Generally, when initializing a component, such as a remote terminal unit(RTU), at a hydrocarbon well site, a user may configure the RTU suchthat the RTU operates according to a desired function. However, the usermay not be familiar with various ways in which the RTU may be configuredto operate. For instance, the operation of the RTU may be dependent on atype of hydrocarbon well that the component may be associated with, atype of well devices that the RTU may be controlling, and the like.Moreover, the user may not have access to latest versions of firmwareand/or software that may enable the RTU to operate more efficiently. Assuch, in certain embodiments, the RTU may automatically connect to acloud-based computing system that may automatically configure the RTUand automatically initialize the operation of the RTU based oninformation received from the RTU itself. Upon sending configurationdata to the RTU, the cloud-based computing system may store a profileassociated with the respective RTU that includes details regarding theconfiguration of the RTU. If the RTU is replaced, the cloud-basedcomputing system may retrieve the profile of the previous RTU and sendthe configuration of the previous RTU to the replacement RTU, therebymaintaining the operation of the RTU.

In addition to providing assistance in initializing the RTU, thecloud-based computing system may also provide various analysis serviceswith respect to data acquired by the RTUs at the hydrocarbon well site.Generally, during hydrocarbon exploitation operations, well sitepersonnel often encounter numerous challenges when attempting tooptimize or increase the production of hydrocarbons at the hydrocarbonwell site. For instance, complex information presented in raw data formmay take time before it may be assimilated and understood by a well siteoperator, such that the operator is capable of making accurate decisionswith regard to operating a well at the well site. As such, in certainembodiments, the cloud-based computing system may analyze the dataacquired by the RTU at the hydrocarbon well site and providerecommendations concerning how to control the operations of well devicesat the well site based on the analysis. By leveraging the computingpower of the cloud-based computing system, the RTU may be equipped toimprove the production of the hydrocarbon well more quickly, as comparedto using the computing power of a single RTU. In certain embodiments,the cloud-based computing system may analyze the collected data from thehydrocarbon well site with respect to data associated with a number ofother hydrocarbon well sites. As such, using all of the data acquired atthe hydrocarbon well sites, the cloud-based computing system maygenerate analysis that may predict the production of the hydrocarbonwell site based on the production properties for each well at the otherhydrocarbon well sites.

Keeping the foregoing in mind, in certain embodiments, the cloud-basedcomputing system may monitor various properties associated with arespective well at the hydrocarbon well site, analyze the monitoredproperties, and provide certain data analysis and/or visualizations(e.g., plots) to the RTU or to a computing device (e.g., mobile phone)that may assist a well operator to control various operating parametersof the respective well. As a result, the user may receive real time ornear real time analysis of data associated with the respective well atthe hydrocarbon well site. In addition, the cloud-based computing systemmay send commands to the RTU to automatically adjust certain operatingparameters of the respective well based on the data analysis. In thismanner, the operating parameters of the respective well may be modifiedin real time or near real time to ensure that the hydrocarbons at therespective well are being efficiently produced.

In addition to the aforementioned features of the cloud-based computingsystem, the cloud-based computing system may also provide operationaland technical support to the user of the RTU to facilitate thecommissioning of a well device or a collection of well devices, theoperation of the well device or the collection of well devices, themaintenance of the well device or the collection of well devices, or thelike. That is, the cloud-based computing system may have access to alarge amount of data that may include commissioning instructions orworkflows for various different types of well devices. Moreover, as newcommissioning processes or troubleshooting processes are generated, theinstructions related to the new processes may be stored and categorizedusing a database and a database management system accessible by thecloud-based computing system. In this manner, the cloud-based computingsystem serve as a hub for information related to various operationsrelated to the hydrocarbon well site. Moreover, the cloud-basedcomputing system may distribute portions of workflows for commissioninga well device or a collection of well devices among a number of usersinvolved in the commissioning process. Additional details regarding theabove mentioned embodiments, as well as details regarding additionalembodiments for improving the operations of well devices at thehydrocarbon well site, will be discussed in detail below with referenceto FIGS. 1-17.

Cloud-Based Computing System

By way of introduction, FIG. 1 illustrates a high-level overview of anindustrial enterprise 10 that leverages a cloud-based computing systemto improve the operations of various industrial devices. The enterprise10 may include one or more industrial facilities 14, each having anumber of industrial devices 16 and 18 in use. The industrial devices 16and 18 may make up one or more automation systems operating within therespective facilities 14. Exemplary automation systems may include, butare not limited to, batch control systems (e.g., mixing systems),continuous control systems (e.g., proportional-integral-derivative (PID)control systems), or discrete control systems. Industrial devices 16 and18 may also include devices, such as industrial controllers (e.g.,programmable logic controllers or other types of programmable automationcontrollers), field devices such as sensors and meters, motor drives,operator interfaces (e.g., human-machine interfaces, industrialmonitors, graphic terminals, message displays, etc.), industrial robots,barcode markers and readers, vision system devices (e.g., visioncameras), smart welders, or other such industrial devices.

In certain embodiments, the industrial devices 16 and 18 maycommunicatively couple to a computing device 26. The communication linkbetween the industrial devices 16 and 18 and the computing device 26 maybe a wired or a wireless connection, such as Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth®, and thelike. Generally, the computing device 26 may be any type of processingdevice that may include communication abilities, processing abilities,and the like. For example, the computing device 26 may be a controller,such as a programmable logic controller (PLC), a programmable automationcontroller (PAC), or any other controller that may monitor, control, andoperate the industrial device 16 and 18. The computing device 26 may beincorporated into any physical device (e.g., the industrial device 16and 18) or may be implemented as a stand-alone computing device (e.g.,general purpose computer), such as a desktop computer, a laptopcomputer, a tablet computer, a mobile computing device, or the like.

In addition to communicating with the industrial devices 16 and 18, thecomputing device 26 may also establish a communication link with thecloud-based computing system 12. As such, the computing system 26 mayhave access to a number of cloud-based services provided by thecloud-based computing system 12, as will be described in more detailbelow. Generally, the computing device 26 may send and receive data toand from the cloud-based computing system 12 to assist a user of theindustrial device 16 or 18 in the commissioning, operation, andmaintenance of the industrial automation systems.

Exemplary automation systems can include one or more industrialcontrollers that facilitate monitoring and control of their respectiveprocesses. The controllers may exchange data with the field devicesusing native hardwired I/O or via a plant network such as Ethernet/IP,Data Highway Plus, ControlNet, DeviceNet, or the like. A givencontroller may receive any combination of digital or analog signals fromthe field devices indicating a current state of the devices and theirassociated processes (e.g., temperature, position, part presence orabsence, fluid level, etc.), and executes a user-defined control programthat performs automated decision-making for the controlled processesbased on the received signals. The controller may then outputappropriate digital and/or analog control signaling to the field devicesin accordance with the decisions made by the control program. Theseoutputs may include device actuation signals, temperature or positioncontrol signals, operational commands to a machining or materialhandling robot, mixer control signals, motion control signals, and thelike. The control program may include any suitable type of code used toprocess input signals read into the controller and to control outputsignals generated by the controller, including but not limited to ladderlogic, sequential function charts, function block diagrams, structuredtext, or other such platforms.

Although the industrial enterprise 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 depicts theindustrial devices 16 and 18 as residing in fixed-location industrialfacilities 14, the industrial devices 16 and 18 may also be part of amobile control application, such as a system contained in a truck orother service vehicle. Additionally, although the industrial enterprise10 of FIG. 1 is described with respect to automation systems, it shouldbe noted that the industrial enterprise 10 described herein may beapplied to other industrial environments, such as hydrocarbon productionwell sites, as will be detailed below.

In certain embodiments, the industrial devices 16 and 18 may becommunicatively coupled to the cloud-based computing system 12 that mayprovide various applications, analysis operations, and access to datathat may be unavailable to the industrial devices 16 and 18. That is,the industrial device 16 and 18 may interact with the cloud-basedcomputing system 12, such that the industrial device 16 and 18 may usevarious cloud-based services 20 to perform its respective operationsmore efficiently or effectively. The cloud-based computing system 12 maybe any infrastructure that enables the cloud-based services 20 to beaccessed and utilized by cloud-capable devices. In one embodiment, thecloud-based computing system 12 may include a number of computers thatmay be connected through a real-time communication network, such as theInternet, Ethernet/IP, ControlNet, or the like. By employing a number ofcomputers, the cloud-based computing system 12 may distributelarge-scale analysis operations over the number of computers that makeup the cloud-based computing system 12.

Generally, the computers or computing devices provided by thecloud-based computing system 12 may be dedicated to performing varioustypes of complex and time-consuming analysis that may include analyzinga large amount of data. As a result, the industrial device 16 or 18 maycontinue its respective processing operations without performingadditional processing or analysis operations that may involve analyzinglarge amounts of data collected from other data sources.

In certain embodiments, the cloud-based computing system 12 may be apublic cloud accessible via the Internet by devices having Internetconnectivity and appropriate authorizations to utilize the cloud-basedservices 20. In some scenarios, the cloud-based computing system 12 maybe a platform-as-a-service (PaaS), and the cloud-based services 20 mayreside and execute on the cloud-based computing system 12.

In certain instances, access to cloud-based computing system 12 may beprovided to users as a subscription service by an owner of therespective cloud-based services 20. Alternatively, the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 may be a private network of computers operatedinternally by the enterprise 10. For example, the cloud-based computingsystem 12 may involve a set of servers hosting the cloud-based services20 and residing on an internal network protected by a firewall.

The cloud-based services 20 may include, but are not limited to, datastorage, data analysis, control applications (e.g., applications thatcan generate and deliver control instructions to industrial devices 16and 18 based on analysis of near real-time system data or otherfactors), visualization applications such as the cloud-based operatorinterface system, reporting applications, Enterprise Resource Planning(ERP) applications, notification services, or other such applications.If the cloud-based computing system 12 is a web-based system, industrialdevices 16 and 18 at the respective industrial facilities 14 mayinteract with cloud-based services 20 directly or via the Internet.Alternatively or additionally, the industrial devices 16 and 18 mayaccess the cloud-based computing system 12 through separate cloudgateways 22 at the respective industrial facilities 14. Here, theindustrial devices 16 and 18 may connect to the cloud gateways 22 via awired or wireless communication link. In one embodiment, the industrialdevices 16 and 18 may access the cloud-based computing system 12directly using an integrated cloud interface.

In certain embodiments, the cloud-based computing system 12 may also becommunicatively coupled to a database 24 that may store data related tothe industrial device 16 and 18, data acquired by the industrial device16 and 18, historical data associated with the industrial facility 14,and the like. The cloud-based computing system 12 may use the datastored within the database 24 to perform various types of data analyses,as will be discussed in greater detail below.

By providing the industrial devices 16 and 18 with access to thecloud-based computing system 12, the industrial enterprise 10 mayleverage the computing power of the cloud-based computing system 12 toanalyze data acquired from a number of industrial devices 16 and 18,perform more comprehensive data analyses more efficiently, and providethe user of the industrial devices 16 and 18 access to additionalinformation and operational support to more efficiently manage theoperations of the industrial enterprise 10. For instance, thecloud-based computing system 12 may provide cloud-based storage that maybe scaled to accommodate large quantities of data generated and acquiredby the various devices in the industrial enterprise 10. Moreover,multiple industrial facilities 14 at different geographical locationsmay migrate their respective data to the cloud-based computing system 12for aggregation, collation, collective analysis, and enterprise-levelreporting without establishing a private network between the facilities.In certain embodiments, the industrial devices 16 and 18 may include aconfiguration capability to automatically detect and communicate withthe cloud-based computing system 12 upon installation at any facility,simplifying integration with the cloud-based computing system 12. Inanother embodiment, the cloud-based computing system 12 may includediagnostic applications that may monitor the health of respectiveautomation systems or their associated industrial devices across anentire plant, or across multiple industrial facilities that make up theenterprise 10. Additionally, the cloud-based computing system 12 mayinclude cloud-based lot control applications that may track a unit ofproduct through its stages of production and collect production data foreach unit as it passes through each stage (e.g., barcode identifier,production statistics for each stage of production, quality test data,abnormal flags, etc.). It should be noted that these industrialcloud-computing applications are provided as examples, and the systemsand methods described herein are not limited to these particularapplications.

As mentioned above, the cloud-based computing system 12 may also beimplemented in other industrial environments such as a hydrocarbon wellsite, and the like. Keeping this in mind, FIG. 2 illustrates a schematicdiagram of an example hydrocarbon site 30 that may employ thecloud-based computing system 12 to assist in the commission, operation,and maintenance of various well devices at the hydrocarbon site 30.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the hydrocarbon site 30 may be an area in whichhydrocarbons, such as crude oil and natural gas, may be extracted fromthe ground, processed, and stored. As such, the hydrocarbon site 30 mayinclude a number of wells and a number of well devices that may controlthe flow of hydrocarbons being extracted from the wells. In oneembodiment, the well devices at the hydrocarbon site 30 may include anydevice equipped to monitor and/or control production of hydrocarbons ata well site. As such, the well devices may include pumpjacks 32,submersible pumps 34, well trees 36, and the like. After thehydrocarbons are extracted from the surface via the well devices, theextracted hydrocarbons may be distributed to other devices such aswellhead distribution manifolds 38, separators 40, storage tanks 42, andthe like. At the hydrocarbon site 30, the pumpjacks 32, submersiblepumps 34, well trees 36, wellhead distribution manifolds 38, separators40, and storage tanks 42 may be connected together via a network ofpipelines 44. As such, hydrocarbons extracted from a reservoir may betransported to various locations at the hydrocarbon site 30 via thenetwork of pipelines 44.

The pumpjack 32 may mechanically lift hydrocarbons (e.g., oil) out of awell when a bottom hole pressure of the well is not sufficient toextract the hydrocarbons to the surface. The submersible pump 34 may bean assembly that may be submerged in a hydrocarbon liquid that may bepumped. As such, the submersible pump 34 may include a hermeticallysealed motor, such that liquids may not penetrate the seal into themotor. Further, the hermetically sealed motor may push hydrocarbons fromunderground areas or the reservoir to the surface.

The well trees 36 or Christmas trees may be an assembly of valves,spools, and fittings used for natural flowing wells. As such, the welltrees 36 may be used for an oil well, gas well, water injection well,water disposal well, gas injection well, condensate well, and the like.The wellhead distribution manifolds 38 may collect the hydrocarbons thatmay have been extracted by the pumpjacks 32, the submersible pumps 34,and the well trees 36, such that the collected hydrocarbons may berouted to various hydrocarbon processing or storage areas in thehydrocarbon site 30.

The separator 40 may include a pressure vessel that may separate wellfluids produced from oil and gas wells into separate gas and liquidcomponents. For example, the separator 40 may separate hydrocarbonsextracted by the pumpjacks 32, the submersible pumps 34, or the welltrees 36 into oil components, gas components, and water components.After the hydrocarbons have been separated, each separated component maybe stored in a particular storage tank 42. The hydrocarbons stored inthe storage tanks 42 may be transported via the pipelines 44 totransport vehicles, refineries, and the like.

The well devices may also include monitoring systems that may be placedat various locations in the hydrocarbon site 30 to monitor or provideinformation related to certain aspects of the hydrocarbon site 30. Assuch, the monitoring system may be a controller, a remote terminal unit(RTU), or any computing device that may include communication abilities,processing abilities, and the like. For discussion purposes, themonitoring system will be embodied as the RTU 46 throughout the presentdisclosure. However, it should be understood that the RTU 46 may be anycomponent capable of monitoring and/or controlling various components atthe hydrocarbon site 30.

The RTU 46 may include sensors or may be coupled to various sensors thatmay monitor various properties associated with a component at thehydrocarbon site 10. The RTU 46 may then analyze the various propertiesassociated with the component and may control various operationalparameters of the component. For example, the RTU 46 may measure apressure or a differential pressure of a well or a component (e.g.,storage tank 42) in the hydrocarbon site 30. The RTU 46 may also measurea temperature of contents stored inside a component in the hydrocarbonsite 30, an amount of hydrocarbons being processed or extracted bycomponents in the hydrocarbon site 30, and the like. The RTU 46 may alsomeasure a level or amount of hydrocarbons stored in a component, such asthe storage tank 42. In certain embodiments, the RTU 46 may be iSens-GPPressure Transmitter, iSens-DP Differential Pressure Transmitter,iSens-MV Multivariable Transmitter, iSens-T2 Temperature Transmitter,iSens-L Level Transmitter, or Isens-IO Flexible I/O Transmittermanufactured by vMonitor® of Houston, Tex.

In one embodiment, the RTU 46 may include a sensor that may measurepressure, temperature, fill level, flow rates, and the like. The RTU 46may also include a transmitter, such as a radio wave transmitter, thatmay transmit data acquired by the sensor via an antenna or the like. Thesensor in the RTU 46 may be wireless sensors that may be capable ofreceive and sending data signals between RTUs 26. To power the sensorsand the transmitters, the RTU 46 may include a battery or may be coupledto a continuous power supply. Since the RTU 46 may be installed in harshoutdoor and/or explosion-hazardous environments, the RTU 46 may beenclosed in an explosion-proof container that may meet certain standardsestablished by the National Electrical Manufacturer Association (NEMA)and the like, such as a NEMA 4X container, a NEMA 7X container, and thelike.

The RTU 46 may transmit data acquired by the sensor or data processed bya processor to other monitoring systems, a router device, a supervisorycontrol and data acquisition (SCADA) device, or the like. As such, theRTU 46 may enable users to monitor various properties of variouscomponents in the hydrocarbon site 30 without being physically locatednear the corresponding components.

In operation, the RTU 46 may receive real-time or near real-time dataassociated with a well device. The data may include, for example, tubinghead pressure, tubing head temperature, case head pressure, flowlinepressure, wellhead pressure, wellhead temperature, and the like. In anycase, the RTU 46 may analyze the real-time data with respect to staticdata that may be stored in a memory of the RTU 46. The static data mayinclude a well depth, a tubing length, a tubing size, a choke size, areservoir pressure, a bottom hole temperature, well test data, fluidproperties of the hydrocarbons being extracted, and the like. The RTU 46may also analyze the real-time data with respect to other data acquiredby various types of instruments (e.g., water cut meter, multiphasemeter) to determine an inflow performance relationship (IPR) curve, adesired operating point for the wellhead 30, key performance indicators(KPIs) associated with the wellhead 30, wellhead performance summaryreports, and the like. Although the RTU 46 may be capable of performingthe above-referenced analyses, the RTU 46 may not be capable ofperforming the analyses in a timely manner. Moreover, by just relying onthe processor capabilities of the RTU 46, the RTU 46 is limited in theamount and types of analyses that it may perform. Moreover, since theRTU 46 may be limited in size, the data storage abilities may also belimited.

Keeping the foregoing in mind, in certain embodiments, the RTU 46 mayestablish a communication link with the cloud-based computing system 12described above. As such, the cloud-based computing system 12 may useits larger processing capabilities to analyze data acquired by multipleRTUs 26. Moreover, the cloud-based computing system 12 may accesshistorical data associated with the respective RTU 46, data associatedwith well devices associated with the respective RTU 46, data associatedwith the hydrocarbon site 30 associated with the respective RTU 46 andthe like to further analyze the data acquired by the RTU 46.

Accordingly, in one embodiment, the RTU 46 may communicatively couple tothe cloud-based computing system 26 via a cloud-based communicationarchitecture 20 as shown in FIG. 3. Referring to FIG. 3, the RTU 46 maycommunicatively couple to a control engine 52 such as ControlLogix® orthe like. The control engine 52 may, in turn, communicatively couple toa communication link 54 that may provide a protocol or specificationssuch as OPC Data Access that may enable the control engine 52 and theRTU 46 to continuously communicate its data to the cloud-based computingdevice 26. The communication link 54 may be communicatively coupled tothe cloud gateway 22, which may then provide the control engine 52 andthe RTU 46 access to communicate with the cloud-based computing device12. Although the RTU 46 is described as communicating with thecloud-based computing device 12 via the control engine 52 and thecommunication link 54, it should be noted that in some embodiments, theRTU 46 may communicate directly with the cloud gateway 22 like theindustrial device 16 and 18 of FIG. 1 or may communicate directly withthe cloud-based computing device 12.

In some embodiments, the RTU 26 may communicatively couple to thecontrol engine 52 or the communication link 54 via an Ethernet IP/Modbusnetwork. As such, a polling engine may connect to the RTU 26 via theEthernet IP/Modbus network to poll the data acquired by the RTU 26. Thepolling engine may then use an Ethernet network to connect to thecloud-based computing system 12.

As mentioned above, the RTU 46 may monitor and control various types ofwell devices and may send the data acquired by the respective welldevices to the cloud-based computing system 12 according to thearchitecture described above. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the RTU46 may monitor and control an electrical submersible pump (ESP), a gaslift (GL), a rod pump controller (RPC), a progressive cavity pump (PCP),and the like. In the ESP, the RTU 46 may sense and control the wellheadand other operating variables of the ESP system. In the GL, the RTU 46may adjust a gas lift injection flow to operator flow rate, computereal-time estimated gas-oil-water production, and the like. In the RPC,the RTU 46 may provide advance rod pump controlling operations for beampump applications and the like. The RTU 46 may also monitor both polishrod load and continuous walking beam position to develop dynamometercards. In the PCP, the RTU 46 may provide local and remote monitoring ofthe wellhead and other PCP variable. Here, the RTU 46 may also performbasic analysis and adjust the pumping conditions of the PCP based on thereceived data from the PCP.

In addition to the RTU 46 and the control engine 52 being able tocommunicate with the cloud-based computing system 12, remote dataacquisition systems 56, third party systems 58, and database managementsystems 60 may also communicatively couple to the cloud gateway 22. Theremote data acquisition systems 56 may acquire real-time datatransmitted by various data sources such as the RTU 46 and other thirdparty systems 58. The database management system 60 may be a relationaldatabase management system that stores and retrieves data as requestedby various software applications. By way of example, the databasemanagement system 60 may be a SQL server, an ORACLE server, a SAPserver, or the like.

As mentioned above, the computing device 26 may communicatively coupleto the RTU 46 and the cloud-based computing system 12. As shown in FIG.3, the computing device 26 may include a mobile device, a tablet device,a laptop, a general purpose computer, or the like. In certainembodiments, the computing device 26 may also communicatively couplewith the remote data acquisition systems 56, the third party system 58,and the database management system 60. By communicating with all ofthese types of devices, the computing device 26 may receive data andgenerate visualizations associated with each respective device, therebyproviding the user of the computing device 26 a more efficient manner inwhich to view and analyze the data. Moreover, since the computing device26 may receive data from the cloud-based computing system 12, thecomputing device 26 may receive visualizations and data related tovarious types of analyses and cloud services 20 provided by thecloud-based computing system 12.

In some embodiments, the cloud-based computing system 12 may includeapplications related to collaboration or role based content, assetmanagement, data models, visualizations, analysis & calculations,workflows, historical data, mobile web services, web services, and thelike. The collaboration or role-based application may includefacilitating collaboration between various users of the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 to assist in the commission, operation, ormaintenance of well devices at the hydrocarbon site 30. The assetmanagement application may track the hardware and software maintenanceof the well devices and the software used therein. The data modelapplication may include algorithms that may simulate various types ofdata related to the production of hydrocarbons by a well device, theproduction of hydrocarbons at a hydrocarbon site, and the like based onvarious process parameter inputs received by the cloud-based computingsystem 12. The visualization application may generate various types ofvisualizations such as graphs, tables, data dashboards, and the likebased on the data received by the cloud-based computing system 12 andthe data available to the cloud-based computing system 12 via thedatabase 24 or the like.

The analysis & calculations applications may include softwareapplications that may provide additional information regarding the datareceived by the cloud-based computing system 12. For example, theanalysis & calculations applications may analyze flow rate dataregarding the production of hydrocarbons by a particular well site todetermine the amount of hydrocarbons, water, and sand (i.e., multiphasemeasurements) contained in the produced hydrocarbons.

The workflow applications may be software applications that generateworkflows or instructions for users of the well device or personnel atthe hydrocarbon site 30 may use to perform their respective tasks. Inone example, the cloud-based computing system 12 may generate a workflowregarding the commissioning of a well device, troubleshooting anoperation issue with a well device, or the like.

In certain embodiments, the workflow applications may determine theworkflows based on historical data stored within the cloud-basedcomputing system 12. That is, the historical data may include datarelated to previous items produced by any application within thecloud-based computing system 12 such as workflows, data analyses,reports, visualizations, and the like. Moreover, the historical data mayalso include raw data acquired by the RTU 46 or any other device andreceived by the cloud-based computing system 12. As such, thecloud-based computing system 12 may use the historical data to performadditional analyses on the received data, simulate or predict how theoperations of a well device may change, simulate how the production ofhydrocarbons at a well site may change, and the like.

The cloud-based computing system 12 may also provide mobile web servicesand web services that may enable the computing device 26, or any otherdevice communicatively coupled to the cloud-based computing system 12,to access the Internet, Intranet, or any other network that may beavailable. Moreover, the cloud-based computing system 12 may use the webservices to access information related to various analyses that it maybe performing and the like.

Referring back to the RTU 46, FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram ofvarious components that may be part of the RTU 46 and may be used by theRTU 46 to perform various analysis operations. As shown in FIG. 4, theRTU 46 may include a communication component 72, a processor 74, amemory 76, a storage 78, input/output (I/O) ports 80, a display 82, andthe like. The communication component 72 may be a wireless or wiredcommunication component that may facilitate communication betweendifferent RTUs 46, gateway communication devices, various controlsystems, and the like. The processor 74 may be any type of computerprocessor or microprocessor capable of executing computer-executablecode. The memory 76 and the storage 78 may be any suitable articles ofmanufacture that can serve as media to store processor-executable code,data, or the like. These articles of manufacture may representcomputer-readable media (i.e., any suitable form of memory or storage)that may store the processor-executable code used by the processor 74 toperform the presently disclosed techniques. The memory 76 and thestorage 78 may also be used to store data received via the I/O ports 80,data analyzed by the processor 74, or the like.

The I/O ports 80 may be interfaces that may couple to various types ofI/O modules such as sensors, programmable logic controllers (PLC), andother types of equipment. For example, the I/O ports 80 may serve as aninterface to pressure sensors, flow sensors, temperature sensors, andthe like. As such, the RTU 46 may receive data associated with a wellvia the I/O ports 80. The I/O ports 80 may also serve as an interface toenable the RTU 46 to connect and communicate with surfaceinstrumentation, flow meters, water cut meters, multiphase meters, andthe like.

In addition to receiving data via the I/O ports 80, the RTU 46 maycontrol various devices via the I/O ports 80. For example, the RTU 46may be communicatively coupled to an actuator or motor that may modifythe size of a choke that may be part of the well. The choke may controla fluid flow rate of the hydrocarbons being extracted at the well or adownstream system pressure within the network of pipelines 44 or thelike. In one embodiment, the choke may be an adjustable choke that mayreceive commands from the RTU 46 to change the fluid flow and pressureparameters at the well.

The display 82 may include any type of electronic display such as aliquid crystal display, a light-emitting-diode display, and the like. Assuch, data acquired via the I/O ports and/or data analyzed by theprocessor 74 may be presented on the display 82, such that operatorshaving access to the RTU 46 may view the acquired data or analyzed dataat the hydrocarbon well site. In certain embodiments, the display 82 maybe a touch screen display or any other type of display capable ofreceiving inputs from the operator.

Referring back to the communication component 72, the RTU 46 may use thecommunication component 72 to communicatively couple to various devicesin the hydrocarbon site 30 and to the cloud-based computing system 12.FIG. 5, for instance, illustrates an example communication network 90that may be employed in the hydrocarbon site 30. As shown in FIG. 5,each RTU 46 may be communicating with one or more other RTUs 46. Thatis, each RTU 46 may communicate with certain RTUs 46 that may be locatedwithin some range of the respective RTU 46. Each RTU 46 may communicatewith each other via its respective communication component 72. As such,each RTU 46 may transfer raw data acquired at its respective location,analyzed data associated with a respective well, or the like to eachother. In one embodiment, the RTUs 46 may route the data to a gatewaydevice 92. The gateway device 92 may be a network device that maycommunicate with other networks or devices that may use differentcommunication protocols. As such, the gateway device 92 may includesimilar components as the RTU 46. However, since the gateway device 92may not be located at the well site or coupled to a well device, thegateway device 92 may have a larger form factor as compared to the RTU46. Additionally, since the gateway device 92 may receive and processdata acquired from multiple RTUs 46, the gateway device 92 may use alarger battery or power source as compared to the RTU 46 to process theadditional data. In this manner, the gateway device 92 may also includea larger and/or faster processor 74, a larger memory 76, and a largerstorage 78, as compared to the RTU 46.

After receiving data from the RTUs 46, the gateway device 72 may providethe data from each RTU 46 to various types of devices, such as aprogrammable logic controller (PLC) 94, a control system 96, and thelike. The PLC 94 may include a digital computer that may control variouscomponents or machines in the hydrocarbon site 30. The control system 96may include a computer-controlled system that monitors the data receivedvia the RTUs 46 and may and control various components in thehydrocarbon site 30 and various processes performed on the extractedhydrocarbons by the components. For example, the control system 96 maybe a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), which may controllarge-scale processes, such as industrial, infrastructure, andfacility-based processes, that may include multiple hydrocarbon sites 30separated by large distances.

The gateway device 92 may also be coupled to the cloud gateway 22mentioned above. As such, the gateway device 92 may also provide theRTUs 46 access to communicate with the cloud-based computing system 12via the cloud gateway 22.

Although FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate how the RTU 46 may communicativelycouple to the cloud-based computing system 12, it should be noted thatthe RTU 46 may also operate in an environment that does not have accessto the cloud-based computing system 12. That is, in some embodiments,the RTU 46 may operate in an environment that may have a data processingfacility located within a particular range of the RTU 46 or within arange of a communication network accessible by the RTU 46 or the gatewaydevice 92. As such, the data processing facility may provide similarservices as described above with respect to the cloud-based computingsystem 12. For example, the data processing facility may be provideapplications and services manufactured by Rockwell Automation® such asFactoryTalk AssetCenter, FactoryTalk VantagePoint, FactoryTalk View SE,FactoryTalk Historian, VantagePoint Connectors, FactoryTalk Live Data,FactoryTalk VantagePoint JSON Web Services, as well as the servicesprovided by the cloud-based computing system 12.

In certain embodiments, each RTU 46 may acquire data from varioussensors disposed throughout a respective well, the hydrocarbon well site30, and the like. To enable well site personnel (i.e., operatorsphysically located at the well site) to determine that the well isoperating efficiently, the RTU 46 may perform some initial data analysisusing the processor 74 and may output the results of the data analysisvia the display 82. In certain embodiments, the monitoring device 26 maytransmit the results of the data analysis to the computing device 26,which may be a handheld electronic device (e.g., mobile phone, tabletcomputer, laptop computer, etc.) via the communication component 72using a communication protocol, such as Bluetooth® or any other wirelessor wired protocol. After receiving the results of the data analysis viathe display 82 or the handheld electronic device, the operator maymodify various operating parameters of the well based on the results.That is, the operator may interpret the analyzed data and modify theoperating parameters of the well to increase the efficiency at which thewell may produce hydrocarbons. In one embodiment, the RTU 46 mayautomatically determine whether the operating parameters of the well aredesirable based on the results of the data analysis to achieve a desiredefficiency or operating point of the well.

In addition to employing the RTU 46 to analyze data associated with arespective well, a well device, or the hydrocarbon site 30, the RTU 46may also, as discussed above, receive analyzed data from the cloud-basedcomputing system 12. Moreover, the computing device 26 may also receivethe same analyzed data from the cloud-based computing system 12, therebyproviding the operator the opportunity to interpret the analyzed dataand modify the operating parameters of the well. Moreover, since thecloud-based computing system 12 may have access to additional datasources and may have more processing power as compared to the RTU 46,the operator may have access to more accurate analysis to furtherincrease the efficiency of the operations of the well, the well device,the hydrocarbon site 30, and the like.

Although the use of the cloud-based computing system 12 with the RTU 46may enable improved operations at the hydrocarbon site 30, the improvedoperations are based on the ability of the RTU 46 to communicativelycouple to the cloud-based computing system 12 and the ability of a userof the RTU 46 to configure the RTU 46 correctly. Given the differenttypes of RTUs 46 that may be used at the hydrocarbon site 30, thedifferent types of well devices that may be employed at the hydrocarbonsite 30, and different conditions that may be present at the hydrocarbonsite 30, it may be difficult for a user to accurately configure the RTU46 to communicatively couple to the cloud-based computing system 12 andto effectively control the operations of an associated well device.

Cloud-Based Automatic Detection and Configuration of RTUs

Keeping the foregoing in mind, by providing the cloud-basedcommunication architecture 20 of FIG. 3, the RTU 46 may be capable ofautomatically connecting with the cloud-based computing system 12, whichmay then automatically provide configuration data to the RTU 46. In thisway, any user, regardless of experience or expertise, may perform theinitialization of the RTU 46.

FIG. 6 illustrates a flow chart of a method 100 that the RTU 46 mayemploy to automatically communicatively couple to the cloud-basedcomputing system 12. Although the method 100 is described below withrespect to the RTU 46, it should be noted that the method 100 may beperformed by any well device or component within the hydrocarbon site 30that may have a processor capable of performing the steps describedbelow. Moreover, it should be noted that the method 100 and othermethods described herein may also be performed by other components inother areas, such as the industrial facility 14 of FIG. 1 and the like.

Referring now to FIG. 6, at block 102, the RTU 46 may broadcast arequest to communicatively couple to the cloud-based computing system12. As such, the RTU 46 may transmit a number of signals via thecommunication component 72 to determine whether any cloud-basedcomputing system 12 is within a particular communication range of theRTU 46. The signals broadcast by the RTU 46 may include identificationdata regarding the RTU 46 and/or an indication that a presence of theRTU 46. In one embodiment, the signals broadcast by the RTU 46 may bereceived and rebroadcast by the gateway device 92 to extend the range inwhich the signals broadcast by the RTU 46 may travel. Otherwise, in someembodiments, the RTU 46 may establish a communication link to thecloud-based computing system 12 via the gateway device 92, the cloudgateway 22, or any other intermediary communication component.

At block 104, the RTU 46 may receive an acknowledgement message from thecloud-based computing system 12 indicating that the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 has recognized the presence of the RTU 46. Theacknowledgement message may also verify to the RTU 46 that the RTU 46has communicatively coupled to the cloud-based computing system 12.

After receiving the acknowledgement message, at block 106, the RTU 46may send data related to the RTU 46, a well device associated with theRTU 46, a collection of well devices associated with the RTU 46, a wellsite associated with the RTU 24, the hydrocarbon site 30 associated withthe RTU 46, and the like. Examples of the data related to the RTU 46 mayinclude an indication of an identity of the RTU 46, a location (e.g.,global positioning system (GPS) coordinate) of the RTU 46, a context orrelationship of the RTU 46 within the cloud-based communicationarchitecture 20, a vendor associated with the RTU 46, a model numberassociated with the RTU 46, a serial number associated with the RTU 46,a firmware version associated with the RTU 46, a well device softwareapplication associated with the RTU 46, and the like. Data related tothe well device may include an indication of a type of the well device(e.g., ESP, GL, RPC, PCP, etc.), a location (e.g., GPS coordinates)associated with the well device, a vendor associated with the welldevice, a model number associated with the well device, and the like.

The data may also provide details regarding the well site associatedwith the RTU 24. That is, the data may indicate a location (e.g., GPScoordinates) associated with the well site, a type of well site that isbeing monitored and/or controlled. For instance, the well site may be aland oil site, a subsea oil site, a gas site, a shale gas site, or thelike.

In addition to the data described above, the RTU 24 may also transmitwork instructions or work flows containing commissioning instructionsfor the RTU 24, a well device associated with the RTU 24, or collectionof well devices associated with the RTU 24, or the like to thecloud-based computing system 12. As such, the cloud-based computingsystem 12 may store the commissioning instructions for the RTU 24 orother well devices for distribution to various users in the cloud-basedcommunication architecture 20.

Referring back to FIG. 6, at block 108, the RTU 24 may receive anyrelevant firmware and/or software updates from the cloud-based computingsystem 12. Generally, upon receiving the data from the RTU 24 (block106), the cloud-based computing system 12 may identify any relevantfirmware and/or software updates associated with the RTU 24 that may beavailable on the database 24, the Internet, the Intranet, or the like.

In addition to updates, the RTU 24 may also receive well device softwareapplication or software applications executable by the RTU 24 and usedto control and/or monitor the well device(s). Here, the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 may identify the appropriate software application toprovide the RTU 46 based on the data acquired at block 106.

After receiving the software application, at block 110, the RTU 24 mayinitialize its operation and/or the operation(s) of associated welldevice(s). As such, the RTU 24 may execute the software applicationreceived at block 108. The software application may be used to enablethe RTU 46 to interface with the well device, various sensors associatedwith the well device or the well site, and the like. The softwareapplication may thus be used to monitor and/or control the well device.

In one embodiment, the initialization of the RTU 24 or the welldevice(s) may involve certain commissioning steps to be performed by oneor more operators at the hydrocarbon site 30. In this case, the RTU 24or the cloud-based computing system 12 may send the commissioninginstructions or workflows for the RTU 24 and/or the associated welldevices to the computing device 26 associated with an appropriate user.Additional details regarding the commissioning of the well device willbe discussed below with reference to FIGS. 15-17.

After initialization, the RTU 24 may begin receiving data acquired fromvarious sensors communicatively coupled to the RTU 24. The data may beassociated with the well devices, the well site, or the like. In certainembodiments, at block 112, the RTU 24 may transmit the acquired data tothe cloud-based computing system 12, which may store the acquired datain the database 24, a relationship-based database, or the like. Sincethe cloud-based computing system 12 may receive this acquired data froma number of RTUs 46 disposed in the hydrocarbon site 30, the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 may use all of this stored data to provide dataanalysis operations, simulation operations, and the like. The differenttypes of analyses that may be performed by the cloud-based computingsystem 12 will be discussed below with reference to FIGS. 10-13.

As mentioned above, the method 100 describes the process forautomatically configuring the RTU 46 from the perspective of the RTU 46.FIG. 7, on the other hand, illustrates a flow chart of a method 120 forautomatically configuring the RTU 46 from the perspective of thecloud-based computing system 12. As discussed above, although the method120 is described with reference to the RTU 46, it should be understoodthat the method 120 may be employed with other types of devices andsystems.

At block 122, the cloud-based computing system 12 may receive therequest (block 102) from the RTU 46 to communicatively couple to thecloud-based computing system 12. Upon receiving the request, at block124, the cloud-based computing system 12 may send the acknowledgementmessage to the RTU 46 to indicate that the RTU 46 has established acommunication link with the cloud-based computing system 12.

At block 126, the cloud-based computing system 12 may receive the datasent from the RTU 24 described above with reference to block 106. Usingthe received data, at block 128, the cloud-based computing system 12 mayidentify firmware/software updates and/or software applications that maycorrespond to the RTU 46. In one embodiment, the cloud-based computingsystem 12 may maintain a database that stores recent versions offirmware and/or software applications for various components that may bedisposed in the hydrocarbon site 30. As such, the cloud-based computingsystem 12 may retrieve the recent versions of the firmware and/orsoftware applications from the database or the like.

The software applications may be identified based on the properties ofthe well device(s) and the well site associated with the RTU 46. Forexample, the data received at block 126 may indicate that the well sitemay use an artificial lift well device to produce hydrocarbons at thewell site. As a result, the cloud-based computing system 12 may sendsoftware applications to the RTU to operate the well device in anartificial lift mode.

Alternatively, upon receiving the data from the RTU 46, the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 may query the Internet, the Intranet, the database24, or any other data repository for any available versions of thefirmware or software associated with the RTU 46. If the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 discovers that a more recent version of the firmwareor the software application associated with the RTU 46 is available, thecloud-based computing system 12 may download the recent versions, sendthe recent versions to the RTU 46, and store the recent versions in thedatabase 24 and the like.

At block 130, the cloud-based computing system 12 may send theidentified firmware/software updates and/or software applications to theRTU 46. Here, the RTU 46 may begin monitoring and/or operating thecorresponding well device(s). In one embodiment, in addition to sendingthe software applications, the cloud-based computing system 12 may sendconfiguration parameters to the RTU 46 to specify the operations of theRTU 46. The cloud-based computing system 12 may determine theconfiguration parameters of the RTU 46 based on the data received atblock 126 and according to data regarding similar RTUs 46 operatingunder similar conditions as the respective RTU 46.

After sending the updates, software applications, and configurationparameters to the RTU 46, at block 132, the cloud-based computing system12 may store the data associated with the RTU 46, the well device(s),the well site, and the like as part of profile for the respective RTU46. In this manner, the cloud-based computing system 12 may maintain arecord of various properties regarding the RTU 46. This record orprofile regarding the RTU 46 may then be used by the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 when a similar RTU 46 is placed in the hydrocarbonsite 30 or when a preexisting RTU 46 is replaced with a new RTU 46.

With this in mind, FIG. 8 illustrates a method 134 employed by thecloud-based computing system 12 to automatically configure a new assetdiscovered in the hydrocarbon site 30. At block 136, the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 may determine whether a new asset (e.g., RTU 46,well device, etc.) has been discovered. As such, the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 may receive a signal from the asset and determinewhether the asset has been previously identified as a communicativelycoupled device. If the cloud-based computing system 12 determines thatthe signal corresponds to an asset already communicatively coupled tothe cloud-based computing system 12, the cloud-based computing system 12may return to block 136.

If, however, the cloud-based computing system 12 determines that thesignal corresponds to an asset that was not communicatively coupled tothe cloud-based computing system 12, the cloud-based computing system 12may proceed to block 140. At block 140, the cloud-based computing system12 may receive data from the new asset regarding the new asset. As such,the cloud-based computing system 12 may receive data similar to the datadescribed above with respect to block 106.

Upon receiving the data associated with the new asset, at block 142, thecloud-based computing system 12 may determine whether the new asset isassociated with any existing asset profiles accessible by thecloud-based computing system 12. That is, the cloud-based computingsystem 12 may determine whether the data received at block 140corresponds to data that pertains to a particular profile of anotherasset previously communicatively coupled to the cloud-based computingsystem 12. For example, the cloud-based computing system 12 maydetermine that the new asset has the same GPS coordinates as anotherasset previously coupled to the cloud-based computing system 12. If thenew asset has the same or substantially similar GPS coordinates asindicated in a profile of another asset, the cloud-based computingsystem 12 may assume that the new asset is a replacement for thepreviously connected asset, and proceed to block 124 as previouslydiscussed.

In another example, the cloud-based computing system 12 may determinewhether the new asset is similarly associated with a number ofproperties (e.g., type of well device, type of well site, vendor) asanother asset, as indicated in the profile for the other asset. Here,the cloud-based computing system 12 may send a notification to the newasset or to a user associated with the new asset via the computingdevice 26 recommending configuring the new asset like the other asset.

At block 144, the cloud-based computing system 12 may send dataassociated with the identified profile to the new asset. As such, thecloud-based computing system 12 may send configuration data (e.g.,gateway configuration, RTU configuration, instrument configuration (welldevices), firmware, firmware updates, software applications, softwareapplication updates, etc.) to the new asset.

To ensure that the configuration data made available to new assets arerelevant and useful, the various assets communicatively coupled to thecloud-based computing system 12 may continuously send updates regardingtheir respective configuration data to the cloud-based computing system12. With this in mind, FIG. 9 illustrates a method 146 that the asset(e.g., RTU 46) may employ to ensure that the cloud-based computingsystem 12 maintains a current database of profiles for various assetsdisposed in the hydrocarbon site 30.

Referring now to FIG. 9, at block 148, the RTU 46, for example, maydetermine whether it receives a change in configuration. That is, theRTU 46 may detect when the RTU 46 is physically moved, when the softwareapplication is altered, or the like. When this change is detected, theRTU 46 may proceed to block 150.

At block 150, the RTU 46 may send an indication of the change to thecloud-based computing system 12. As such, the cloud-based computingsystem 12 may update a respective profile to ensure that the profileremains current.

Cloud-Based Data Analysis

After the RTU 46 has been initialized and is operational, thecloud-based computing system 12 may use its relatively large processingpower, as compared to the processing power of the RTU 46 or thecomputing device 26, and access to various different data sources toperform complex analyses with the data acquired by the RTU 46. FIG. 10,for instance, illustrates a method 160 that may be employed bycloud-based computing system 12 to analyze data acquired by the RTU 46.Although the method 160 is described with respect to data acquired bythe RTU 46, it should be understood that the method 160 may be performedusing any data received by the cloud-based computing system 12.

At block 162, the cloud-based computing system 12 may receive the dataacquired by the RTU 46, by sensors communicatively coupled to the RTU46, or the like. Upon receiving the data, at block 164, the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 may store the data in the database 26 or some mediastorage device accessible to the cloud-based computing system 12.

At block 166, the cloud-based computing system 12 may determine whetherother data related to the data received at block 162 exists. That is,the cloud-based computing system 12 may determine whether historicaldata associated with the RTU 46 exists, data that corresponds to a welldevice associated with the RTU 46, data related to the well siteassociated with the RTU 46, and the like. As such, the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 may determine or identify relationships between thedata received at block 166 and the data accessible to the cloud-basedcomputing system 12.

At block 168, the cloud-based computing system 12 may analyze the datareceived at block 162 with respect to the relationships determined atblock 168. In other words, the cloud-based computing system 12 maycompare the data received at block 162 with the data identified at block166 to draw inferences, predictions, or recommendations regarding theoperation of the well device(s), the production at the well site, or thelike.

In some embodiments, the analyses performed at block 168 may includegenerating visualizations or graphs that depict trends associated withthe data received at block 162. The analyses may also includedetermining a production summary at the well site, an availability ofthe well device(s), individual key performance indicators (KPIs),aggregate KPIs, and the like. In one embodiment, the analysis mayinclude performing multiphase analysis regarding the production of thehydrocarbons at the well site. That is, the cloud-based computing system12 may determine an amount of oil, water, and sand that may be withinthe extracted hydrocarbons.

In addition to providing analyses results, the cloud-based computingsystem 12 may perform various monitoring operations with respect to thedata received at block 162. For example, the cloud-based computingsystem 12 may display various process parameters regarding the operationof the well device, the RTU 46, the well site, and the like. Moreover,the cloud-based computing system 12 may display the data received atblock 162 to help enable the user to understand the present state of theRTU 46, the well device(s), the well site, and the like. The displayeddata may include indications listing the type of well devices and/orequipment present at the well site, a strength of communication signalbetween the RTU 46 and the cloud-based computing system 12, In oneembodiment, an amount of power available for various well devices at thewell site, any indication of any alarms or notifications regarding thewell device(s), the RTU 46, or the well site, and the like.

After receiving the results of the analyses discussed above, thecloud-based computing system 12 may send commands to the RTU 46 toadjust the operations of the well device(s) in view of the analyses.Generally, the commands may adjust the operations of the well device(s)to improve the production of hydrocarbons at the well site. However, thecommands may also be designed to decrease an amount of stress on thewell device(s) to ensure that the well devices(s) do not fail or has animproved life cycle.

By way of example, the FIG. 11 illustrates a method 180 that thecloud-based computing system 12 may employ to control the operations ofa well device based on the data acquired by the RTU 46. At block 182,the cloud-based computing system 12 may determine an expected range ofvalues for the data acquired by the RTU 46. The cloud-based computingsystem 12 may determine the expected range of values based on historicaldata associated with the data acquired by the RTU 46 or other datasimilar to the data acquired by the RTU 46.

At block 184, the cloud-based computing system 12 may determine whetherthe data received from the RTU 46 is within the expected range ofvalues. If the data is within the expected range, the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 may return to the block 182 and continue to monitorthe received data from the RTU 46.

If, however, the data is not within the expected range, the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 may proceed to block 186 and send an alarmnotification to the RTU 46, to the computing device 26, or the like. Atblock 188, the cloud-based computing system 12 may send commands to theRTU 46 to adjust the operations of the well device controlled by the RTU46 to cause the data received from the RTU 46 to be within the expectedrange of values.

In addition to adjusting the operations of the well device based on theexpected range of values associated with the data received from the RTU46, the cloud-based computing system 12 may perform various other typesof analyses based on the data received from the RTU 46. For instance,FIG. 12 illustrates a flowchart of a method 200 of various types ofanalyses that may be performed by the cloud-based computing system 12.At block 202, the cloud-based computing system 12 may determine aproduction summary for a well site that corresponds to the RTU 46. Insome embodiments, the cloud-based computing system 12 may aggregate theproduction summary for the respective well site with the productionsummary of a hydrocarbon field associated with the respective well site.That is, the cloud-based computing system 12 may retrieve dataassociated with the production data of the respective hydrocarbon fieldand aggregate the retrieved data with the data received from the RTU 46.

At block 204, the cloud-based computing system 12 may determine theavailability of the well based on the data received from the RTU 46.Here, the cloud-based computing system 12 may analyze the operationalpatterns of the well device based on the data from the RTU 46.

In yet another analysis performed by the cloud-based computing system12, at block 206, the cloud-based computing system 12 may compare thedata received from the RTU 46 with well test data associated with therespective well site. As such, the cloud-based computing system 12 maydetermine the phases of the hydrocarbon production based on the datareceived from the RTU 46. The cloud-based computing system 12 may thencompare the phases of the hydrocarbon production with the phasesindicated in the well test. If the phases are not substantially similar,the cloud-based computing system 12 may send a notification to a uservia the RTU 46 and/or the computing device 26 to perform another welltest, schedule a maintenance operation at the well site, or the like.

FIG. 13 illustrates a flowchart of a method 220 for adjusting theoperation of the well device based on simulations or projectionsdetermined based on the data received from the RTU 46. At block 222, thecloud-based computing system 12 may receive a scenario or desiredoperating parameters of the well device and/or the well site.

At block 224, the cloud-based computing system 12 may simulate orproject and expected amount of hydrocarbon production over a certainperiod of time. Based on this projection, at block 226, the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 may determine whether improved operations may beattained by adjusting the operations of the well device. The cloud-basedcomputing system 12 may determine whether the improved operations may beattained based on other data related to the production at other wellsites operating under the same parameters received at block 222. Afterthe cloud-based computing system 12 determines the adjustments in theoperations, the cloud-based computing system 12 may generate arecommendation including the adjustments for the user of the RTU 46. Assuch, the cloud-based computing system 12 may send the recommendation tothe user via the RTU 46, the computing device 26, or the like.

Cloud-Based Commissioning

As mentioned above, the cloud-based computing system 12 may storecommissioning instructions or workflows associated with the RTU 46, thewell device(s), or the like. In this way, the commissioning of the RTU46, the well device, the collection of well devices, and the like may beimplemented more effectively and efficiently. Generally, thecommissioning instructions may include a set of work instructions to beperformed by one or more users (e.g., hydrocarbon site personnel) at thehydrocarbon site 30. Certain steps or parts of the work instructions maybe performed by a particular user, in a particular order, or the like.

As mentioned above, the RTU 46 may send the commissioning instructionsregarding itself, a respective well device, and/or a respectivecollection of well devices to the cloud-based computing system 12.Keeping this in mind, FIG. 14 illustrates a method 240 that thecomputing device 26 may perform to receive a workflow for commissioninga well device. Although the method 240 is described herein as beingperformed to receive the commissioning workflow regarding the welldevice, it should be understood that the method 240 may providecommissioning workflow regarding any type of device or system, such asthe RTU 46, a collection of well devices, and the like.

At block 242, the computing device 26 may receive a request tocommission a well device. The request may be received via an input atthe computing device 26 such as a keyboard input, a mouse input, adisplay input, and the like.

At block 244, the computing device 26 may send relevant data regardingthe well device being commissioned to the cloud-based computing system12. In one embodiment, the computing device 26 may be associated with arespective RTU 46, the respective well device, or a user associated withthe respective computing device 26, the respective RTU 46, and/or therespective well device. As such, the relevant data may includeinformation identifying the well device being commissioned, the RTU 46associated with the respective well device, the user associated with therespective computing device 26, or the like. Using this data, thecloud-based computing system 12 may identify the commissioninginstructions or workflow associated with the well device beingcommissioned.

As discussed above, the cloud-based computing system 12 may have accessto a profile regarding the respective well device. As such, uponreceiving the relevant data from the computing device 26, thecloud-based computing system 12 may retrieve the profile associated withthe relevant data and identify the commissioning instructions for therespective well device.

At block 246, the computing device 26 may receive the commissioninginstructions or the workflow for the respective well device. In thisway, the user of the computing device 26 may receive the workflow forcommissioning the well device. The commissioning instructions orworkflow may include data sheets associated with the respective welldevice, a work order associated with the respective well device, anindication of personal protective equipment recommended to operation therespective well device, safety information associated with therespective well device, troubleshooting instructions associated with therespective well device, knowledge-base documents associated with therespective well device, webpages associated with the respective welldevice, a commissioning schedule associated with the respective welldevice, and the like. The commissioning schedule may include ahierarchical or specified order in which the instructions are to beperformed.

In one embodiment, the computing device 26 may also receive a video oran Internet-based address to a video regarding the workflow. As such,the computing device 26 may then display the video on its respectivedisplay to provide a more comprehensive visualization of the workflow.In addition to depicting the workflows, the computing device 26 mayvisualize well devices used in the hydrocarbon site 30, productionelements of a production environment, or the like. The well devicesdisplayed on the display of the computing device 26 and/or controloperations that may be performed by the computing device 26 may becontextualized according to the a role of the respective user of thecomputing device 26. As such, in some embodiments, the actions availableto the user may be restricted based on the user's role, a proximitywithin the hydrocarbon site 30 (e.g. GPS coordinates, blue toothconnection to a device, scanner, etc.), and the like.

In certain embodiments, the cloud-based computing system 12 maydistribute commissioning instructions among a number of users. That is,the cloud-based computing system 12 may send commissioning instructionsto a number of computing devices 26 associated with a number ofrespective users. Each respective commissioning instruction may includeinstructions associated with the respective user. That is, each of thenumber of users may have a specified role or assignment associated withthe commission of the well device. As such, upon receiving a request tocommission the well device, the cloud-based computing system 12 may senda number of different computing systems 26 associated with a respectivenumber of different users based on the respective roles of the users.

For instance, FIG. 15 illustrates a method 260 that the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 may employ to distribute workflows to differentusers in the hydrocarbon site 30. At block 262, the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 may receive identification information regarding theuser. The identification information may be acquired via logininformation at the computing device 26, via scanning components thatscan a badge or key associated with the respective user, facialrecognition technology, or the like.

At block 264, the cloud-based computing system 12 may determine a roleof the user based on the received identification information. The roleof the user may be stored in the cloud-based computing system 12, thedatabase 24, or the like as a profile, as discussed above. In certainembodiments, the role of the user may define a relationship of therespective user with regard to the commissioning of some component.Alternatively, the role of the user may define a relationship of therespective with regard to the hydrocarbon site 30 as a whole.

The role of the user may be determined according to a title of the user,certifications acquired by the user, trainings performed by the user,and the like. In one embodiment, the role of the user may be pre-definedby another entity.

In any case, at block 266, the cloud-based computing system 12 maygenerate a workflow for commissioning a respective component based onthe role of the user. For instance, if the workflow for commission thecomponent involves a number of users, the cloud-based computing system12 may send a number of computing devices 26 different workflows basedon the roles of the users associated with the respective computingdevices 26.

After generating the workflow, at block 268, the cloud-based computingsystem 12 may send the workflow to the respective computing device 26.In one embodiment, the cloud-based computing system 12 may also send avideo or an Internet-based address to a video regarding the workflow. Assuch, the computing device 26 may then display the video on itsrespective display to provide a more comprehensive visualization of theworkflow.

At times, the commissioning of a component may involve a number ofdifferent users performing a number of different workflows in aparticular order. Here, the cloud-based computing system 12 may managethe distribution of the respective workflows as requisite workflows orinstructions are completed. By way of example, FIG. 16 illustrates amethod 270 for managing the distribution of portions of a workflowaccording to some order.

At block 272, the cloud-based computing system 12 may receive anindication that a portion of an entire workflow has been completed. Inone embodiment, the cloud-based computing system 12 may receive datafrom the computing device 26 as each step or instruction of the portionof the workflow assigned to the respective user of the computing device26 is completed. For example, the cloud-based computing system 12 mayreceive a signature of the user, thereby indicating that the portion ofthe workflow assigned to the respective user is completed.

At block 274, the cloud-based computing system 12 may determine whetherthe entire workflow is complete. If the entire workflow is complete, thecommissioning of the respective component may be complete. However, ifthe entire workflow is not complete, the cloud-based computing system 12may proceed to block 276.

At block 276, the cloud-based computing system 12 may identify otherusers, computing devices 26, or RTUs 46 that may be associated with asubsequent portion of the workflow. Upon identifying the appropriatecomputing device 26 associated with the subsequent portion of theworkflow, at block 278, the cloud-based computing system 12 may send thenext portion of the workflow to the respective computing device 26. Assuch, the respective user may perform the subsequent portion of theworkflow. The cloud-based computing system 12 may then return to block272 and continuously perform the method 270 until the entire workflow iscomplete.

In some instances, the user at the hydrocarbon site 30 may requestoperational or technical support regarding the RTU 46, the well device,or any other component at the hydrocarbon site 30. With this in mind,FIG. 17 illustrates a flowchart of a method 280 that the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 may perform to retrieve appropriate support for auser.

Referring now to FIG. 17, at block 282, the cloud-based computing system12 may receive a request for support regarding an operation of a welldevice, the RTU 46, or any component in the hydrocarbon site 30. Uponreceiving this request, the cloud-based computing system 12 may, atblock 284, identify a user having a profile that indicates that therespective user may have a high likelihood of providing the requestedsupport. In one embodiment, the cloud-based computing system 12 mayidentify the user based on trainings performed by the respective user,certifications associated with the respective user, pre-definedassociations or credentials regarding the respective user, or the like.In another embodiment, the cloud-based computing system 12 may identifyusers based on the users' respective proximities to the user requestingthe support. As such, the cloud-based computing system 12 may receivelocation information regarding each user that may potentially assist theuser requesting the support, along with location information related tothe user requesting support. The location information of any user may bedetermined based on GPS coordinates associated with the user, Bluetooth®identification keys receive via the RTU 46 or the computing device 26,or the like.

At block 286, the cloud-based computing system 12 may send anotification to the identified user indicating that his/her support isrequested by another user. The notification may be sent via electronicmail, SMS test message, a visualization depicted on the display of therespective computing device 26, or the like. In certain embodiments, thenotification may include a link to a live video feed from the computingdevice 26 of the user requesting the support. As such, the userrequesting the support may more precisely explain and show the problemto the expert user.

Although the techniques described in FIGS. 14-17 have been describedwith respect to commission some component, it should be noted that thetechniques of FIGS. 14-17 may be applied to any type of workinstruction. For example, upon detecting a problem, the cloud-basedcomputing system 12 may send work instructions to troubleshoot or solvethe detected problem using the methods of FIGS. 14-17 described above.

While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed herein, many modifications and changes will occur to thoseskilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appendedclaims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fallwithin the true spirit of the invention.

1. A method, comprising: receiving, via at least one processor of acloud-computing system, an indication that a portion of a workflow iscomplete, wherein the workflow comprises a plurality of instructions forcommissioning one or more well devices at a hydrocarbon site;identifying a subsequent portion of the workflow to be performed inresponse to receiving the indication that the portion of the workflow iscomplete; identifying a user to assign to a first well device of the oneor more well devices based on the subsequent portion and based on aproximity between the first well device and a computing deviceassociated with the user; and sending the subsequent portion to thecomputing device in response to identifying the user.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, comprising, before identifying the user, determining theproximity between the first well device and the computing device basedon global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the computing deviceor one or more Bluetooth identification keys of the computing device. 3.The method of claim 1, wherein the user is identified based on thesubsequent portion in response to determining an association between thesubsequent portion and at least one role associated with the user. 4.The method of claim 3, comprising determining the at least one roleassociated with the user is based on one or more titles associated withthe user, one or more certifications acquired by the user, one or moretrainings performed by the user, or any combination thereof.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, comprising, before receiving the indication that theportion of the workflow is complete, receiving the workflow from atleast one of the one or more well devices.
 6. The method of claim 1,comprising transmitting an instructional video associated with thesubsequent portion of the workflow to the computing device in responseto identifying the user.
 7. The method of claim 1, comprisingrestricting one or more additional users from performing the subsequentportion of the workflow based on one or more respective proximitiesbetween the first well device and one or more respective computingdevices associated with the one or more additional users.
 8. The methodof claim 1, comprising: receiving a second indication that thesubsequent portion of the workflow is complete; identifying a secondsubsequent portion of the workflow to be performed in response toreceiving the second indication; identifying a second user to assign toa second well device of the one or more well devices based on the secondsubsequent portion and based on a second proximity between the secondwell device and a second computing device associated with the seconduser; and sending the second subsequent portion to the second computingdevice in response to identifying the second user.
 9. The method ofclaim 1, comprising: receiving a request for support associated with thesubsequent portion of the workflow from the computing device;identifying a second user that is associated with the subsequent portionand associated with a second computing device that is located within asecond proximity of the computing device; and sending a notificationindicative of the request to the second computing device.
 10. A system,comprising: a cloud-computing system comprising at least one processor,wherein the at least one processor is configured to: transmit a portionof a workflow to a first computing device associated with a first user,wherein the workflow comprises one or more instructions forcommissioning an operation of a well device at a hydrocarbon site;receive a request for support associated with the operation of the welldevice from the first computing device; identify a second user that isassociated with the operation of the well device and associated with asecond computing device that is located within a proximity of the firstcomputing device; and send a notification indicative of the request tothe second computing device.
 11. The system of claim 10, wherein, beforeidentifying the second user, the at least one processor is configured todetermine the proximity based on a first set of global positioningsystem (GPS) coordinates of the first computing device and a second setof GPS coordinates of the second computing device.
 12. The system ofclaim 10, wherein the at least one processor is configured to identifythe second user from a plurality of second users based on the proximityof the second computing device to the first computing device.
 13. Thesystem of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is configured toidentify the second user based on the second user being associated withthe operation of the well device.
 14. The system of claim 13, whereinthe at least one processor is configured to determine that the seconduser is associated with the operation of the well device based on aprofile of the second user indicating that the second user is qualifiedto assist the first user with performing the operation.
 15. The systemof claim 10, wherein the notification comprises a link to view a livevideo stream provided by the first computing device.
 16. The system ofclaim 10, wherein, before transmitting the portion of the workflow tothe first computing device, the at least one processor is configured toidentify the first user to assign to the well device based on a secondproximity between the well device and the first computing device.
 17. Anon-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executableinstructions that, when executed, are configured to cause one or moreprocessors to: receive an indication that a portion of a workflow iscomplete, wherein the workflow comprises a plurality of instructions forcommissioning one or more operations of a well device at a hydrocarbonsite; identify a subsequent portion of the workflow to be performedbased on the indication; identify a user to assign to the well devicebased on: an association between the user and the subsequent portion;and a proximity between the well device and a computing deviceassociated with the user; and send the subsequent portion to thecomputing device in response to identifying the user.
 18. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein thecomputer-executable instructions are configured to cause the one or moreprocessors to determine the association between the user and thesubsequent portion based on at least one role of the user indicatingthat performance of the subsequent portion is permitted.
 19. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein thecomputer-executable instructions are configured to cause the one or moreprocessors to receive the workflow from the well device, beforereceiving the indication that the portion of the workflow is complete.20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein thecomputer-executable instructions are configured to cause the one or moreprocessors to: receive a request for support associated with the one ormore operations of the well device from the computing device associatedwith the user; identify a second user that is associated with the one ormore operations of the well device and that is associated with a secondcomputing device located within a second proximity of the computingdevice associated with the user; and send a notification indicative ofthe request to the second computing device.